“The Dimension Sundering Ordeal?”
“How could that be possible?”
“Leaping two cultivation realms in a single breath…”
Everyone was stunned.
Even the First Elder was shocked beyond words. His cheeks were puffed crimson in agitation, and he opened and closed his mouth several times, but he was still unable to find his voice.
It was just a moment ago that he had said that it was not too likely for the young man to make a breakthrough to the Phantasmal Space realm, but who would have thought that the other party would actually rocket right up to the Dimension Sundering realm!
It was a common saying in the Master Teacher Continent that formidable geniuses were able to achieve breakthroughs as easily as drinking water… but not even drinking water would be as fast as this!
Was the young man really an offspring of the side family and not the young prodigy in disguise?
“This is… This can’t be… This is impossible!” Zhang Ningxin’s face had turned completely pale in shock, and he retreated several steps while shaking his head in disbelief.
For a Grand Dominion realm pinnacle cultivator to charge straight toward the Dimension Sundering realm… It was no wonder the other party said that he had to fix some of the details so as to avoid drawing too much attention. This was no longer at the level of drawing attention; this was at the level of stroke-inducing!
To actually step across an entire realm… How in the world did he manage to do that?
In order to advance from Phantasmal Space realm primary stage to intermediate stage, Zhang Ningxin had spent many long months cultivating, and he had paid a hefty price to obtain the resources needed for him to hasten his cultivation. Yet, the other party had actually managed to make the breakthrough in an instant.
The frustration he felt left him on the verge of spurting blood.
At this point, it seemed more like he was the one from the side family whereas the other party was from the main family!
While the crowd was shocked beyond words, Zhang Xuan heaved a sigh of relief.
This is more like it.
Back when Zhang Jiuxiao was cultivating, he had noticed that there was a tremendous surge of energy lying dormant within Zhang Jiuxiao, ready to burst forth at any moment.
During the previous break, Zhang Xuan had used the Library of Heaven’s Path to analyze the surge of energy before telling Zhang Jiuxiao the way in which he could draw out that surge of energy. However, he had not thought that Zhang Jiuxiao would be able to push right for the Dimension Sundering realm.
If I’m not mistaken, this surge of energy was left in him after his bloodline was purified and partially awakened in the Blood Reservoir last night, Zhang Xuan thought.
Previously, he had used the golden page to enhance Zhang Jiuxiao’s bloodline, and at this moment, the purity of his bloodline was likely to exceed even that of the legendary young prodigy.
With the current level of purity of his bloodline, not only would he be able to effectively absorb the Time Quintessence in the Blood Reservoir and activate it, he would also be able to raise his cultivation explosively, just like how Zhao Ya and Yuan Tao had done in the past.
As the time that he had spent in the Blood Reservoir was severely limited, not to mention that he had spent most of the time going through the Saint 6-dan and Saint 7-dan cultivation techniques from Saint 6-dan to Saint 7-dan, he had not noticed the presence of the energy lying dormant in his body.
It was only after he achieved a breakthrough to Grand Dominion realm pinnacle that Zhang Xuan noticed it. Thus, he had told Zhang Jiuxiao to use a special method to activate it, but he did not think that it would be so effective.
In the blink of an eye, he had broken through the bottleneck of the Phantasmal Space realm and rushed right for the Dimension Sundering realm.
Most geniuses of the Sage Clans would have their bloodlines activated from a young age, and they would slowly use the energy to raise their cultivation. On the other hand, Zhang Jiuxiao’s bloodline had only been activated after he reached the Grand Dominion realm, so the sheer scale of the energy that he had in there was not too difficult to imagine.
As expected of the bloodline of the strongest Sage Clan… Zhang Xuan thought in envy.
But of course, what’s more important is that he has simulated the cultivation to the Phantasmal Space realm in his consciousness prior to his breakthrough, thus allowing him to control the energy within his body effectively. Otherwise, such swift successive breakthroughs would have been extremely hard to achieve, and in the worst-case scenario, his energy might even have run amok, causing him to literally explode.
While the energy from his bloodline was a reason behind his swift breakthrough, equally important was how familiar he had become with the Phantasmal Space realm Heaven’s Path Divine Art.
Otherwise, tapping on this huge reserve of energy all of a sudden could really pose to be a great danger. In the worst-case scenario, he might have blown himself to dust.
It could be said that this swift breakthrough was really dependent on luck and timing, and it was irreplicable. Not even Zhang Xuan himself would be able to do the same.
I need to quickly make a breakthrough, too. Otherwise, it will be too embarrassing if I can’t even match up to my own students, Zhang Xuan thought awkwardly.
Even a student whom he had just taken in was stronger than him. Could it be that he was more suited to be an educator than a cultivator?
Seeing the people around him overtake him had really left with a deep feeling of defeat.
If not for Sun Qiang serving as a counter-benchmark for him, he really would have thought that he was not suited for cultivation.
However, there’s still a flaw in my Phantasmal Space realm Heaven’s Path Divine Art.
Recalling the cultivation technique that was still incomplete despite all of his efforts to perfect it, Zhang Xuan frowned.
He would have loved to make a breakthrough if he could, but until his cultivation technique was impeccable, he was too disgusted by the flaws in it to cultivate it.
Given how many experts there are around here, as long as I can access their collection of cultivation technique manuals, it shouldn’t be too difficult for me to fill in that one last flaw. Given so, I should be able to reach Phantasmal Space realm pinnacle within the next few days! Zhang Xuan tossed aside his concerns and turned his gaze back to the dueling ring.
More and more storm clouds were gathering in the area, ready to fall at any moment.
In this moment, everyone in the sparring grounds was already panicking. No one was fighting anymore, and they had all fled out of the radius of the lightning tribulation, assessing the situation warily from a distance away. Even the First Elder had backed out of the area with a livid expression.
Watching as the storm clouds grew larger and larger, Zhang Jiuxiao was starting to panic. He anxiously sent telepathic messages over to Zhang Xuan. “Teacher, what should I do?”
“You are my direct disciple. You have to overcome this lightning tribulation with your own strength!” Zhang Xuan replied sternly with a wave of his hand.
He would not mind helping others tide through their lightning tribulation but not his own direct disciples.
As dangerous as lightning tribulations were, they could be considered a trial to the cultivator. This was an experience that was crucial to make cultivators mature and grow. After all, Zhang Xuan could not always be around to cover his students from their lightning tribulations, so he could not allow them to become dependent on him.
“I understand!” Seeing the determined look on his teacher’s face, Zhang Jiuxiao realized that there was no room for negotiation on this matter. Thus, he gritted his teeth and turned his gaze back to the sky.
“Follow what I have taught you, and you should be able to overcome the lightning tribulation with ease!” Zhang Xuan instructed.
Back when they were in the Blood Reservoir, he had imparted not only the simplified Heaven’s Path Divine Art but also a way to deal with the lightning tribulation.
While Zhang Xuan’s method of dealing with lightning tribulations was something that others could not learn, he was still able to tally the insights of predecessors to devise a set of strategies that a cultivator could use to minimize the risk of the lightning tribulation.
“I understand.” Knowing that he only had himself to count on, Zhang Jiuxiao took in a deep breath and roared loudly before dashing right into the sky.
From how he was willing to venture alone to the Qingyuan Empire just to vie for the slot to the Sanctum of Sages, it was not too hard to tell that he was a tenacious person full of grit.
His teacher had already handed him all the tools that he needed; what he needed to do now was take the last step forward with his own strength!
Tzla tzla!
Seemingly provoked by Zhang Jiuxiao’s actions, the lightning tribulation crackled in fury. An eight-meter thick lightning bolt descended from the heavens.
Gritting his teeth tightly together, Zhang Jiuxiao dashed fearlessly toward it.
Boom!
By the time the lightning bolt dissipated, Zhang Jiuxiao was already lying on the ground, his body scorched with severe burns. His body was convulsing slightly, seemingly having sustained severe injuries.
Seeing this, Zhang Xuan felt compelled to dash forward to support his student, but at the last moment, he forced himself to stay put and averted his gaze.
He must survive this with his own strength. Only then will he mature and become independent.
Zhang Xuan believed that grooming a student was similar to raising a child. It was fine to guide them on every step of their journey when they were still younger and unprepared, but eventually, they had to learn to face the world on their own.
While he had only taken in Zhang Jiuxiao a day ago, he believed that Zhang Jiuxiao was already ready for it. If anything, this trial was what he needed in order for him to affirm his own strength and gain confidence in his capability. It would sever the inferiority complex that he had always felt as an offspring from the side family, allowing him to stand on his own two feet.
It was also with similar reasons that he had sent his other students out to venture out and find their own paths and reasons to fight.
Parents love their children by planning ahead for them.
Teachers love their students by creating opportunities for self-discovery so that they can learn and mature.
Currently, Zhang Jiuxiao had reached this important juncture in this life. Charge through it, and he would be like a fish morphing into a divine dragon, soaring into the boundless heavens where the sky was the limit.
On the other hand, if he failed, naturally, Zhang Xuan would step in and save him, but by then… he would no longer be worthy of remaining as his direct disciple.
